Thanksgiving Week: Family

11.17.2016

As Thanksgiving approaches I've been taking some time to reflect on
the things I'm grateful for. Now, more than ever, I think we all need
to take some time to appreciate what is good in the world and remind
friends and family that they are loved. Remind ourselves that we
are loved. That our lives are so full, and that we have so much to
give to others. In an effort to spiritually recharge and fully
appreciate how lucky I am, I plan to write a post each day leading
up to Thanksgiving on something I'm grateful for. This exercise is
definitely something I need in my life right now, to focus on my
values and what's important to me. As a fair warning I know posts
about how great my life is can come off as boastful, or
holier-than-thou, and I want to emphasize that's not what I intend. Acknowledging what a privileged life I lead is meant to make me
aware of the complex factors that give me that privilege, and help me
work to afford that privilege to everyone. Knowing that I did not
get here on my own helps me internalize that society is not an equal
playing field, and that "success" is less a measure of character than
of advantage. Alright, enough preaching, let's get to it.

Today's topic is the obvious choice: Family. Beyond literally
giving me life, my parents have supported me in every endeavor I've
undertaken, and provided me endless opportunities to learn, grow, and
achieve my goals. They provided for me, so I never had to go to school
hungry or wonder where I would sleep at night. They are loving, so I
never doubt for a second that they are proud of me, or love me, or
will be there for me no matter what. They are kind, thoughtful, good
people, who have dedicated their lives to making their little corner
of the world a better place. I'm grateful to have a brother I could
share my childhood with, who initially challenged me to not hit back
and now challenges me to think critically and objectively. It's so
much easier to move through the world knowing that if anything
happened I have people I can ask for help, for advice, for
understanding, for forgiveness, and they would give it
unconditionally. For that, I'm grateful.